Chinese military orders arsenal safety check

Beijing, Aug 20 (IANS) The Chinese military has ordered a thorough safety check of the army’s storage of weapons and ammunitions after last week’s deadly warehouse explosions in Tianjin.

The PLA’s four headquarters — General Staff Headquarters, General Political Department, General Logistics Department and General Armament Department — have issued a joint circular ordering the check, Xinhua reported on Thursday quoting the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) newspaper PLA Daily.

The four authorities held a conference regarding the safety check on Sunday.

The army and armed police were told to carry out thorough examination of their weapon, ammunition, fuel, chemical, explosive and toxic material warehouses.

Safely storing inflammable, explosive and biochemical hazardous materials and ammunition disposal should be given special attention, the circular said.

The document also required education for soldiers and officers on the extreme importance of safety issues in order to learn from the Tianjin explosions and prevent other accidents.

Leading officers at all levels should personally take part in the checks and supervision to solve practical problems, it said.

Moreover, the military demands improved response plans and intensified drills in case of emergencies.